Harry Potter and the Holy Grail War
by King of Beasts
Summary: Fresh from defeating Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter must now fight in a war of Seven Masters and their Servants for the Holy Grail with his life on the line. Little does he realize what he is about to get into. Takes place after before the Epilogue of Book Seven.
1. Chapter 1: A Visitor Comes

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Fate/Stay Night. They belong to J.K Rowling and the good folks at Type/Moon respectively.

King of Beasts Productions Present:

 **Harry Potter and the Holy Grail War: A Harry Potter and Fate/Stay Night Fanfiction.**

 **Chapter 1: A Visitor Comes**

Since time immemorial, the Ministry of Magic has been the governing body of the Wizarding Community in Great Britain. For centuries, it safeguarded the secrets of magic from the rest of the world, allowing Wizards and Witches to hone their craft in secret. However, there was existed another magical community in England that also guards those secrets.

The Magus Association, also known as the Clock Tower.

Whilst both organizations practice magic, their methodologies are as different as night and day; For Wizards and Witches, access to magic was as easy as flicking a wand and uttering a few incantations. Yes, there was still a lot research, trial and error, as well as experience involved, but there was less risk to life and limb save for a some intricate and/or forbidden spells such as the Unforgivables.

Those of the Association, or "Magi" as they call themselves, have this philosophy: To be a magus is to walk with death. Their style of magic is more complicated and, should anything go wrong, a fatal end awaits the practitioner. Still, the level of magic they can reproduce is just as awe-inspiring.

For years, these two division have left each other alone except on the most rare of occasions. They have kept to themselves, dealing with the threats to their livelihoods such as dark wizards, vampires and the like independently.

This is a story of one of those occasions.

* * *

Ministry of Magic Offices, Whitehall, England.

 _"So, this is the Ministry of Magic..."_

Waver Velvet, also known by his title Lord El-Melloi II, was fascinated by how a simple telephone booth brought him into the Ministry's offices. He wondered what kind of magic these Wizards used to produce such an enchantment and made notes to begin research on their kind of magic.

"But that's not why I'm here." He said as he immediately proceeded to speak with the clerk. As he confirmed his meeting, he looked back to the circumstance that brought him here in the first place.

The Holy Grail War.

 _"And here I was thinking I would be able to dodge the next one."_ He inwardly sighed as he sat in the waiting lounge, look through a small diary containing his research notes to pass the time. Granted, he wasn't participating this time, something he was thankful for. He was here because, believe it or not, the Grail had chosen someone under the Ministry of Magic's purview, something that did not happen since the Third War.

 _"If memory serves me correct, he was revered and respected in his lifetime, though he was considered quite batty."_ Waver thought as he sat. " _I believe his name was-"_

"The Minister of Magic is ready to see you now."

Lord El-Melloi nodded as he stood up and allowed the attendant to show him the way to the Minister's office. It took him some time, but he was able to find the office of the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Waver wondered what kind of man the leader of this magical community was, and he quickly found out as he entered the room. Sitting on his desk was a man with black skin dutifully looking at documents of varying subjects, his current one being the repeal of an anti-werewolf legislation. He was dressed in a typical wizard's robe, which was blue in hue, and wore a strange hat on his head.

"Minister Shacklebolt, Lord El-Melloi of the Clock Tower is here to see you now."

The Minister looked up for a brief second, smiled, then turned to the clerk. "Thank you very much. You can leave us now."

With a bow did the aide make her exit, leaving the two by themselves.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord El-Melloi." The man rose to his feet to shake his hand, introducing himself with his deep baritone. "I am Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister of Magic. I must say, I have heard much of you. With your skills as a teacher, I would not be surprised if Hogwarts invites you as a guest lecturer."

"My thanks. I was not aware that my reputation preceded me. I'm looking forward to doing that someday." Waver smiled as he shook his hand in kind. "However, that is not the reason why I came today."

"No, of course not." Kingsley Shacklebolt nodded. "Come, let us sit and talk about it over tea."

The two sat down at the Minister's mahogany desk. As soon as they made themselves comfortable, Minister Shacklebolt brought out his wand and, with a flick of his hand, began levitating the tea set towards them.

"I must admit, it's quite a wonder to witness magic so easily executed with a flick of the wand." Waver noted with a polite smile as a tea cup flitted past by his head.

"True, the novelty of it all never gets old." The other man let out a deep chuckle as one by one, the set completed itself on the table. "However, I must admit that our magic has reached a state of stagnancy compared to the Watch Tower."

"Stagnancy?"

"A tale for another day." Minister Shacklebolt smiled as he lifted his tea cup much to Waver's confusion. "However, we have more important matters to discuss today, yes?"

"Indeed." Waver agreed, noting that the Minister was the kind to get straight to the point. "Tell me, Minister; How much do you know about the Holy Grail War?"

"Only the things I have heard." Minister Shacklebolt stated as he took a sip, his face one of discomfort as he spoke of the topic. "And what I have heard isn't all that pleasing. If anything, it sounds like something of the Dark Arts."

"Good. This shall save me time explaining things then." Waver spoke as he took a sip of his own cup "Considering that one of those chosen is one of your own, how should I say it, 'Aurors'?"

"Yes, unfortunately." Minister Shacklebolt let out a deep sigh as he put down his cup. "Trouble of all kinds seem to gravitate towards the boy, though most of it is not through his own fault."

"It seems that he is quite unlucky."

"Perhaps he is. But his resilience in the face of adversity is astounding."

"Care to explain, Minister?" Waver inquired with a raised brow.

"To begin, I must ask you my own question," Minister Shacklebolt's tone turned serious. "How familiar are you with the Second Wizarding War?"

"To be honest, I was not in the country at it's peak." Waver answered, subtly referring to the War he had participated in. "But from what I had heard, it was a bloody affair."

"What you have heard is correct. Friends, family and loved ones lost their lives fighting Lord Voldemort." Minister Shacklebolt began. "At it's start, the boy faced insurmountable odds, with the enemy having the advantage at every turn. Still he persevered, facing the Dark Lord even after innumerable losses and winning. I had hoped that he would spend the rest of his days living in relative peace. However, it seems he has one more obstacle to hurdle."

"I see." Waver nodded in understanding, quickly coming to the conclusion that the Minister thought highly of the chosen Master. "Be that as it may, I will need to see him for what comes ahead. He needs to have full knowledge of what he is about to enter...and the price he may pay if he is unprepared."

"Very well."

With a sigh, Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt picked up the telephone (the Muggle invention installed all over Ministry offices at the suggestion of one Arthur Weasley) and made the call.

"Hello? Ms. Granger?" The Minister spoke the very words that would begin a new adventure. "Can you please bring Harry Potter to my office, please? There is something I need to speak to him about."

 **End Chapter 1**

* * *

 _A/N: Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm the King of Beasts and I'm here with a new fic to add to the expansive library of Fate x Harry Potter crossovers! It's a little plot bunny I thought up at random, and I wanted to let it out of my head! The premise: What if Harry was a Master at the 5th Grail War?_

 _So here we are, starting off with the meeting of Lord Ell-Melloi and the Minister of Magic. How will things turn out for Harry? What does it mean for him to be chosen by the Grail? And who will be his Servant?_

 _Mordred: Hint: it's not me._

 _At any rate, you'll find out soon enough. At the mean time, please leave a review and say what you thought of it! Until the next chapter, I am the King of Beasts and see ya next time!_

 _Next time on Harry Potter and the Holy Grail War: To Fight for a Miracle!_


	2. Chapter 2: To Fight for a Miracle

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

King of Beasts Productions Present:

 **Harry Potter and the Holy Grail War: A Harry Potter x Fate/Stay Night Fanfiction.**

 **Chapter 2: To Fight for a Miracle!**

"What do you think the Minister wants with you, Harry?"

"I dunno, Ron. It sounded important, though." Harry Potter, now in his early twenties and an Auror for the Ministry of Magic, walked through the hallways of the Ministry Offices with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger at his side, one an Auror like himself and the other an official at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

"Perhaps it has something to do with that mark on your right hand?" Hermione inquired.

"Yeah..." The Boy Who Lived nodded as he held up the back of his hand to reveal a blood red tattoo. Its appearance was that of two wings with a Star of David in the middle. "I was having lunch a few days ago when I suddenly felt this burning sensation on the back of my hand, then this thing appears out of nowhere."

"I'm probably jumping to conclusions when I say this, but this smells like the Dark Arts, mate." Ron would give his friend a concerned glance. "You know, like the scar You-Know-Who left you or somethin'."

"I would agree with Ron." Hermione would also voice her concerns. "Marks like that don't just appear out of thin air. And Ron, you can stop calling Voldemort that. He's been dead for quite some time now."

To this, Ron shrugged. "Old habits die hard, you know."

They soon reached the Office of the Prime Minister of the Ministry of Magic. Hermione would knock on the door three times. "This is Hermione Granger. As requested, I've brought Harry Potter to see you."

"Ah yes, come in."

The trio enter to see not only Prime Minister Shacklebolt waiting for them, but another as well. Harry would note that the man did not look anything like the wizards he had known: For one, he was wearing a jet black suit with a red scarf around his neck instead of the usual robes wizards wear. His dark hair reached past his shoulders and he had a stern expression on otherwise handsome features. For but a moment, Harry could not help but be reminded of Snape at the sight of him.

"Lord El-Melloi, I would like to introduce Harry James Potter and Ronald Weasley of the Auror Department, as well as Hermione Granger of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures." Minister Shacklebolt would rise to his feet to greet him, as well as his visitor. "And I would like you three to meet Lord El-Melloi II, Head of the Department of Magecraft Theories of the Mage's Association."

"The Mage's Association?" Harry and Ron asked out of understandable confusion. Before Lord El-Melloi could explain, Hermione beat him to the bunch.

"They are an organization not unlike the Ministry of Magic, with their own set of laws and bi-laws. They too protect the secrets of magic, but in their own way." She began her detailed explanation. "However, unlike us, they are practitioners of another branch of magic known as Magecraft, which is far more intricate than the type of magic we use. As such, their entire subculture is completely different from ours. Quite interesting, I must say!"

"...Yes, you are quite correct." Lord El-Melloi finally responded after getting over his initial surprise. "I'm actually impressed that you know so much about the Association, Miss Granger."

"Miss Hermione is among the brightest minds in Wizarding kind today." Minister Shacklebolt chuckled. "You'd be surprised to see just how much knowledge she has in that head of hers."

"I can imagine that you would fit in the Clock Tower quite nicely, Miss Granger." Lord El-Melloi chuckled as he sipped his tea. Once he finished, his expression turned serious once more. "Now, onto the reason of my visit: Harry Potter, can I see the back of your right hand?"

All three of them gawked at what the man before them just said. Seeing this, Lord El-Melloi sighed.

"It's quite alright. I just need to confirm something."

"And what do you plan to confirm?" Harry asked warily.

"That if you have been indeed chosen." The man answered promptly. "So that I can prepare you for what happens next."

Harry would glance at Ron and Hermione, both wearing wary expression on their faces, as well as Minister Shacklebolt, who shrugged.

"I suggest you show him." The Minister smiled. "Do not worry, you can trust Lord El-Melloi."

After some initial hesitance on Harry's part, he eventually showed him the strange markings on his hand.

"I see..." The man put a hand on his chin as he examined it closely. "That can only mean that you've been chosen."

"Chosen? Chosen for what exactly?"

Lord El-Melloi would sigh before facing Harry once more, as well as the other two. "You might want to sit down for this." He then turned to the Minister. "I would like to have more of your tea, please. This will be a long discussion."

* * *

A few minutes later, the three friends were comfortably seated while the floating teapot served them all generous amounts of tea, making sure to add cream and sugar for those who so wished.

"Thank you kindly." Lord El-Melloi nodded before taking a sip.

"So..." Harry would ponder on his question before speaking up. "Lord El-Melloi-"

"Please." The Magus raised his hand. "Call me Waver Velvet. I have little use for the title at the moment anyway."

"Very well..." Harry composed himself before asking again. "Mr. Velvet, what do the symbols on the back of my hand mean? Are they, by any chance, related to the Dark Arts?"

"The Dark Arts...I see, so that is what you call that kind of magic." Waver put a hand on his chin thoughtfully before he began to explain. "No, it is nothing of that sort. The marks on your hand are called Command Seals, stigmata that acts as a sign that you are participating in the Holy Grail War."

"Wait, Holy Grail?!" Hermione would be the first to react bombastically to this revelation. "Y-You mean the one that the Knights of the Round Table sought out?! THAT Holy Grail?!"

"It seems someone is knowledgeable with their legends." Waver chuckled. "However, it is not that Grail we are talking about. It was made in a ritual by three families of Magi: The Tohsaka, the Einzbern, and the Makiri who are now known as the Matou. This Grail is summoned through a ritual wherein Seven Masters are chosen to compete to the death."

"To the death?!" Ron erupted. "But you just said that this didn't involve Dark Arts!"

"Calm yourself, Mr. Weasley." Minister Shacklebolt reprimanded before turning to Waver. "Though I do agree with him on this; this does seem to be the kind of rituals wizards with nefarious intentions do."

"I understand how it can be seen as such. However, there is a saying among us Magi: To be a Magus is to walk with death." Seeing the other three stare at him, he continued. "Our way of magic is intricate, so intricate that one misstep, be it mispronouncing a line in an aria or the lack of an important catalyst in a ritual can result in serious harm, or perhaps death, to the practicing magus." He sighed before he continued. "I know how it looks, but that is the reality of us Magi."

"...Very well." Minister Shacklebolt finally answered.

"Another question: What criteria must one have to be chosen by the Holy Grail?"

"Excellent query, Miss Granger." Waver chuckled. "It is quite hard to explain, but it is said that the Grail chooses the Masters."

"Wait, what?" Asked the obviously confused Ron.

"You heard me." Waver chuckled. "Ultimately, it is the will of the Grail on who participates in the War. Although, from what I know, a member of the three founding families of the ritual are always selected. These families are: The Tohsaka, the Makiri, and The Einzberns. The rest are chosen from individuals who have a fervent wish upon the Grail."

"I see..." Hermione pondered on this, prompting Waver to continue.

"Anyway, As I had said earlier, you were selected to participate in the Holy Grail War, Mr. Potter." Waver continued. "As such, you will be facing off against six other Masters for the right to the Grail."

"And all of them will be Magi?" Harry asked.

"Not exactly. There are cases where the participant is not a Magus. At any rate, in every Grail War, you will have a partner at your side called a Servant."

"A Servant?"

"A sort of familiar, if you will." Waver explained for Ron with a smile. "Each Servant is a hero of legend, such as King Arthur or Hercules, whose tale has been heard throughout the world. Seeing as there are seven Servants, each have a class: Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Berserker, Caster, and Assassin."

"Wicked!" Ron couldn't hide the enthusiasm in his voice. Who could hardly blame him at this point? "You can summon a legendary hero!"

"You seem quite knowledgeable in the matter, Mr. Velvet." Hermione added with understandable skepticism.

"I was a past participant of the War myself. Sadly, I didn't win." Waver answered as he sipped his tea.

"That's all well and good." Harry finally responded, his expression still skeptical. "But here is what is bugging me: Why me? Why did the Grail choose me of all people to participate?"

"Excellent question, Mr. Potter." Waver nodded. "If I may speak from experience, the Grail picks those who have a wish they want granted, whether they are aware of it or not. Surely, there is something you desire above all else, even if you believe it impossible."

The other two look to Harry as he thought on Waver's words: He had been living in peace ever since Voldemort's fall. He was an Auror that sought to keep the peace, he was dating his beloved Ginny (In fact, he was just ready to buy a ring to propose to her with), and though he had lost his old family, he found solace in his new one with the Weasleys as well as Hermione.

"Family..." The gears began turning in Harry's head, his eyes widening upon the realization that, deep down in his heart, he had a wish he never thought possible: To see his parents again.

"Harry?" Ron would ask as he and Hermione both wore concerned expressions. "You alright?"

"I-I'm fine..." He waved them off, then turned to Waver, who was smiling.

"It seems that the Grail War can bring out desires in the human heart that not even it is aware of." He remarked.

"Mr. Velvet." Harry spoke slowly. "The Holy Grail...Can it really grant ANY wish?"

"That is how it was designed, yes. Sadly, we cannot say for certain since no one has won the damned thing yet." Waver could only smile at the thought. "Still, it would be worth finding out."

"This...This is a lot to take in, honestly." Harry admitted.

"Understandably so. I can imagine that you would want some time to think it over." Waver nodded. "However, there is one thing I wish to divulge to you before I depart." He coughed his throat before continuing. "I would like to tell you how the last Grail War ended. It...It was a catastrophe. For some reason, a great fire erupted from the Grail's summoning location, engulfing much of the city in it's flames. Many, many lives were lost that day. To this day, the official story of what will be forever known as "The Great Fuyuki Fire" was that it was a gas leak of some kind, but very little knew the truth; it was the Grail."

"Bloody hell..." Ron managed to say after everyone but Minister Shacklebolt conveyed shock at what they had just heard. "And you're saying the Holy Grail caused all that?"

"It is an omnipotent wishing machine. Whether it is to be used for good or evil ultimately depends on the bearer." Waver answered in a sobered tone. "Surely, someone with devious intentions can use it to cause an even greater tragedy than that inferno."

"I see...In that case, I've made up my mind." Harry spoke up, his compatriots surprised that he decided so quickly. "I'll fight in the Holy Grail War."

"Oh?" Waver raised his brow inquisitively. "And what has made you decide to quickly, Mr. Potter?"

"The Holy Grail is an omnipotent wishing machine, correct?" Harry inquired. Once he was answered with a nod from Waver, he continued. "I've seen what that kind of power is capable of in the hands of those with ill intentions. I may know nothing about what I'm about to get into, but I'll be damned if I let someone with ill intentions get their hands on the Grail."

"Even if it means bloodying your hands?" Waver asked, his tone dropping a few octaves to convey the gravity of the situation. "Know that each Master and Servant pairing will come at you with the intent to kill. Will you still be able to do what needs to be done, even if you must take a life?"

"...I would like to avoid that if I can." Harry finally answered after giving the matter thought. "However, if it is unavoidable...then I'll do what I must."

Lord El-Melloi II gave the young lad an analytical gaze as if examining his resolve.

"...If you believe in your path, then who am I to stop you?" Waver finally sighed. "Very well. We still have time before the Holy Grail War begins. If I may be so bold to propose, I would like to tutor you on the specifics of the War, particularly the ritual to summon a Servant. Knowing is part of the battle, after all." He stands up after sipping the last of his tea. "I will contact a family friend to see if I can get you a catalyst for the summoning." He turns to Minister Shacklebolt to bow slightly before turning to Harry. "I will see to it that you are ready before the War begins. Until next time, Mr. Potter."

With that farewell, Waver Velvet made his exit.

"...Quite the character, isn't he?" Ron would remark after he had left.

"Perhaps." Hermione sighed. "I only hope you know what you're doing, Harry. Makes it troublesome whenever Ron and I get dragged along with you."

"Now wait just a moment!" Harry whipped his head at the pair upon quickly realizing the implications on what she said. "Y-You two don't have to-!"

"Mate, you've known us for a long time now." Ron placed his hand on Harry's shoulder with a wide grin. "You should already know that it's useless to talk us out of it."

Harry could only sigh in resignation. He knew that Ron was right; every misadventure he had, every terror he has had to face, Ron and Hermione were constantly by his side. Yes, they've had their fair share of squabbles as friends do, but they somehow managed to overcome adversity together. This Holy Grail War would not be any different.

"It is." Harry smiled. "Thanks guys."

"No problem, mate."

"Just know that I'll do my part to help you get ready." Hermione nodded, a measure of enthusiasm filling her voice. "I'll sit in your class and learn more about Magecraft. The spells and the methodologies involved...this is quite exciting, I have to admit!"

Minister Shacklebolt could only laugh as both Harry and Ron groaned. "Looks like you've got your work cut out for you, Mr. Potter. I wish you three luck."

* * *

 **London, England.**

It has been four months since Waver had taken Harry under his wing. In between his shifts as an Auror, he would travel to the Magus Association's Clocktower to teach him everything he needed to know about the Grail War: It's history, it's rules, the setting it was to take place at, the Servants themselves; all these and more were covered in extensive lectures that Waver would give. In addition to these, Hermione, who had been sitting in at each lesson, would make sure that Harry's knowledge would be fresh. Today, however, the three were sitting in the backseat of a car that with Waver as he was driving to the residence of an acquaintance of his.

"So who is this Bram Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri?" Ron found himself tongue-tied, to Waver's amusement. "Blimey, that's a mouthful."

"I happen to agree with you." The man known as Lord El-Melloi II chuckled. "As for why we're headed for his residence, I have received word that he has secured a catalyst that we'll be using for the Summoning Ritual tonight. I assume that you know what we need a catalyst for, Mr. Potter. And no, let him answer this, Ms. Granger."

A disappointed Hermione would lower her hand as Harry cleared his throat to answer. "Normally, the Throne of Heroes will grant you the hero that is most compatible with the Master upon summoning, the downside of which is that you cannot tell what kind of hero that would summoned. However, having an item that belonged to the hero in life, like a book or weapon he or she owned, helps narrow down the process."

"Correct." Waver nodded. "However, there is a downside to this; while it could provide you with a powerful Servant at your beck and call, it sacrifices compatibility. And let me tell you, working well with your Servant is your best chance of survival."

"I see..." Harry nodded thoughtfully. Even after four months, all of this was rather strange to him. To be fair, it was hard to blame him; the concept of seven Masters and seven heroes of legend fighting for a wish granting cup was still difficult to wrap his head around.

"We're here."

Harry was shaken out of his thoughts when they stopped in front of an old fashioned manor in the city. Waiting for them on the steps was a young man clad in a burgundy suit. He had red hair, hazel brown eyes and refined features that one could call "handsome." His posture and the way he carried himself immediately told Harry that he was part of the nobility among magi.

"Harry Potter, this is Bram Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri of the Evocation Department." Waver would be the one who would make the introductions. "Bram, this is Harry Potter of the Ministry of Magic's Auror Office. Accompanying him are Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley."

"So you're the one that has gotten the Clocktower in an uproar." The red-head grinned as he extended his hand. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Mr. Potter."

"Likewise." Harry nodded, taking his hand in a firm handshake, as did Ron and Hermione. The trio would later note that this man seemed to brim with confidence.

"Come, there's business that must be attended to." The magus would beckon them to follow him to his house, it's interior matching the mansion's old fashioned appearance with it's glossy wooden floors, freshly waxed, glass chandeliers and the like. "So," He would turn his attention to Waver as he led the group to his study. "How is Lady Archisorte these days?"

"As devious as always." Waver sighed as he pulled out a cigar to smoke. "I'm starting to believe that she enjoys making my life miserable."

"Ah yes, she has always been that way. She has always displayed a particular distaste towards my family."

"I can imagine." Harry sighed deeply.

"So you've met her too, Mr. Potter?" Bram inquired.

Harry nodded in response. He himself once had the displeasure of meeting the tempestuous Reines El-Melloi Archisorte, current head of the El-Melloi clan, during one of his lessons with Waver. Her response upon meeting him was quite condescending.

 _"So this is the so-called "Boy Who Lived?" Forgive me if I'm not impressed."_

"I see..." Bram let out a chuckle. "You're fortunate that was all she said. She usually has more unsavory words." He led them to an oaken door with an old fashioned bronze knocker.

"Well, we're here." He opened the door to reveal his workshop. It was large and spacious, perfect for performing rituals using magic circles. There were shelves lined with all sorts of tomes, books and the like. There was a maple workbench at the center of the room and upon were beakers, bottles and all manner of containers filled with strange powders and liquids. There was even a large metal chest on the far corner of the room where he kept the more precious items in his workshop.

"How utterly fascinating..." Hermione gazed at it all with wonder in her widened eyes, causing Bram to chuckle slightly.

"It's nice to see one appreciate a good workshop." If he noticed that Ron was giving him a slight glare, he chose not to acknowledge. "At any rate, let me get the item you came for." He approached the chest and opened it, wasting no time searching for the catalyst in mind. "Where is it, where is it...Ah, here we are!"

He pulled out a square shaped item wrapped in swaddling cloth and tied by rope. He undid the rope and removed the cloth to reveal an ancient tome dating back to Ancient Greece. On the leather cover was the title "Medea" written in Greek.

"Tell me," Bram said as he handed the tome to Harry. "How familiar are you with the story of Medea of Colchis?"

"Hers was a lifetime of betrayal and manipulation." Hermione would interject before anyone could say anything. "She was the Princess of Colchis, Daughter of King Aeetes until Jason and his Argonauts showed up on their shores in search of the Golden Fleece the king had. After Aeetes decreed that he would undergo an impossible trial for the Fleece, Aphrodite cast a spell on her that made her madly in-love with him. She would devote herself wholly to Jason, assisting him in getting the Fleece and even going so far as killing her own brother to help him and the Argonauts escape. She would from then on commit sin after sin for him to help him, among which killing his uncle Pelias in a heinous plot , only to be forsaken for another woman in the end. This would send her down a dark path that would lead her to become the Witch of Betrayal."

"Blimey...that's messed up." Ron would finally say after Hermione's brief but detailed exposition.

"Yes, that would be one way to put it." Bram chuckled before turning to Harry. "What do you think, Harry?"

"Well..." The Boy Who Lived put a hand on his chin to reflect on the story he had heard. "I think there's more to her than her legend says."

"What makes you believe so?"

"She did what she did because she loved Jason." Harry said after a few more moments, remembering that one story Dumbledore had told him about Voldemort's mother, Merope Gaunt. In a way, he was able to make eerily similar comparisons between her and Medea. "When you're madly in love with someone, sometimes it can drive you to do horrible things. All to be loved in return. When he abandoned her, she reacted accordingly by lashing out against him and the world. It wasn't right, but it's not hard to see where she was coming from."

"...Well said. There is indeed more to a hero than his or her tale suggests" Bram smiled. He had hoped that the young boy before him won't make the same costly mistake his former brother-in-law did. "You're certainly more perceptive than most people are regarding her story. It is in that confidence that I bestow this catalyst to you, Mr. Potter." He handed him the piece of literature. "I wish you luck in this upcoming Grail War."

"Thank you, Mr. Sophia-Ri." Harry nodded in return.

"Now that we have the catalyst, we must prepare for the Summoning Ritual tonight." Waver would interject, to which Harry nodded in agreement.

"Of course, sir."

"You three wait in the car. I will speak with Bram a little longer." Without further prompting, the three of them exited the study to return to the car. Waver would turn to see Bram smiling at him. "Well? What is your opinion of Mr. Potter?"

"He certainly has a good head on his shoulders, contrary to the reports I've heard of him being quite headstrong." Bram chuckled. "While not an academe like his friend Ms. Granger, he seems to slowly understand what he is getting into. More importantly, he understands that there is more his Servant's story." He let out a wistful sigh. "I only wish Kayneth had that same conventional wisdom."

"Still, that will not help him win."

"Perhaps not." Bram chuckled as the magus lit his pipe. "Though I wonder why you had me find him a catalyst when you could've easily lent him the one you used last War."

"Call it a bit of selfishness." Waver couldn't help but grin. "Even if it will not be same King of Conquerors, I'd rather not share the title of his vassal with anyone else."

"Heh, how appropriate."

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to help Mr. Potter with the ritual later this evening." Waver Velvet bowed politely before taking his leave of Bram's workshop and his house. Between the ritual and the months ahead, there was still more work to be done.

* * *

 **El-Melloi Residence, Later that Evening...**

"So you chose to conduct the ritual in my estate." Waver could only sigh as Reines Archisorte, Head of the El-Melloi Household, was standing behind him and observing with her usual disdain. They were in one of the spare rooms in the estate, which was more than spacious enough to draw a summoning circle on the ground, which was made up of chicken blood that stained the ground. On the center was the book that would be used as a catalyst to summon the Servant who would become Caster.

"I do not appreciate the stain you're leaving on the floor." The girl, clad in a dark blue dress with black stocking beneath the thigh high skirt, flipped her pale blonde hair in a manner befitting her status." You're just adding to Trimmau's work."

"It is no problem at all." The maid that stood to her left, her shimmering silver skin a reminder that she was not human, but a autonomous golem trained to do housework. "As long as I get to exterminate humans in the end."

"Ugh...For the last time, you're not a cyborg from the future!"

"Uh, Mr. Velvet?" Waver turned to Harry, Ron and Hermione as they stood before him, the former looking at him in anticipation.

"Forgive me. Let us return to the task at hand." With a nod from Lady Reines, he faced The Boy Who Lived with his usual stony expression. "Now, remember everything that I have taught you. Recite the aria, and the Throne, the Grail, and the Catalyst will do the rest of the work." He paused to catch his breath. "Are you ready, Mr. Potter?"

"More ready now than I was a few months ago, which isn't much." Harry admitted.

"No one is ever ready for a Grail War, I suppose." Waver chuckled. "Best of luck with you, Mr. Potter."

With a nod, Harry turned to face the Summoning Circle while Ron and Hermione stepped back to watch with the others. He closed his eyes to concentrate, focusing all his magical energy into the circle as he began the incantation, it's glow indicating that the ritual had begun.

* * *

 _Ye first, O silver, O iron._  
 _O stone of the foundation, O Archduke of the Contract._  
 _Hear me in the name of our great teacher, the Archmagus Schweinorg._  
 _Let the descending winds be as a wall._  
 _Let the gates in all directions be shut, rising above the crown, and let the three-forked roads to the Kingdom revolve._  
 _Shut (Fill). Shut (Fill). Shut (Fill). Shut (Fill). Shut (Fill)._  
 _Five perfections for each repetition._  
 _And now, let the filled sigils be annihilated in my stead!_  
 _Set._  
 _Let thy body rest under my dominion, let my fate rest in thy blade._  
 _If thou submitteth to the call of the Holy Grail, and if thou wilt obey this mind, this reason, then thou shalt respond._  
 _I make my oath here._  
 _I am that person who is become the virtue of all Heaven._  
 _I am that person who is covered with the evil of all Hades._  
 _Thou seven heavens, clad in a trinity of words,_  
 _come past thy restraining rings, and be thou the hands that protect the balance-!_

* * *

A bright light filled the room as the incantation ended.

"What the-?!" Harry, Ron, and Hermione were forced to look away due to the brightness of the light.

"Now..." Reines smirked as she and Waver watched the Servant come to fore. "Let's see the witch in all her glory."

Thankfully, the light quickly faded though smoke still obstructed their view of the circle.

"Did...Did it work?" Ron would ask as they recovered.

"Look!" Hermione pointed at the center and, sure enough, the Servant stood. In most cases, he would've summoned the Witch of Betrayal at the height of her powers. However, what he got was somewhat different.

"Servant Caster has arrived as summoned."

Harry could only stare as what stood in the circle was a young girl. She was around her early teens and was much shorter than he was. Her long, lush, lavender tinted hair was tied in a single ponytail. Her face was that of a young maiden: her wide lavender eyes conveyed innocence and complimented her round cheeks, button nose and petite lips. Her slender, petite frame was adorned with a lavender silk dress that left her cream white arms bare save for the shawl on her shoulders and the mismatched colored gloves she wore on her hands. On her legs were also mismatched boots that reached up to her thigh.

"Now, I ask of you." Medea, summoned in this Holy Grail War as the Princess of Colchis, faced Harry Potter as she inquired with a soft-spoken voice, her dainty lips curling into a small smile. "Are you my Master?"

 **End Chapter 2**

* * *

A/N: DEAR GOD THIS TOOK WAAAAAY TOO LONG!

Anyways, This is King of Beasts and welcome to the 2nd Chapter of Harry Potter and the Holy Grail War. I FINALLY updated this after a year, damn it! Sorry that I took so long. Real life and mostly being lazy happened, but I'm here now, right? RIGHT?!

Mordred: Try not to give yourself a heart attack. You're doing my fic next.

*Sighs* I suppose you're right, Mordred. Anyway, as you all guessed by now, Harry still gets Medea as a Caster for his Holy Grail War. However, instead he gets Medea Lily, the innocent Princess of Colchis and her past self before Aphrodite and Jason happened. Now, I'm still debating on whether I keep her as is (Her default stats and skill set in Grand Order), or tweak her a bit to give her a fighting chance against some of the other Servants (Like giving her Rule Breaker and/or Argon Coin). Let me know what you guys think via review or PM.

Medea Lily: I'm looking forward to hearing your feedback!

Now that Medea has been summoned, how will she and Harry interact as Master and Servant? Will they survive the coming War? Will Ginny even show up in this fic? These questions and so much more will be answered in the next chapter...whenever that is! Until then, please leave a review when you're done reading this chapter! I'd love to hear what you guys think! Until then, I'm the King of Beasts and I hope to see you next time!

Next time on Harry Potter and the Holy Grail War: God Save the Princess!


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